Shivamogga riot: Cold-shouldered by govt and cops, Muslims are in anxiety

On February 21, mobs went berserk in Shivamogga's Muslim-dominated areas, causing vandalism, arson and violence leaving the resident on the edge, according to The News Minute. Furious crowds were taking out funeral procession for Harsha Jingade, Hindutva activist who was killed hours before on February 20.

Authorities quickly clamped 144 of the CrPC to contain violence; however, the procession was allowed with estimated 600 in attendance led by local BJP leaders, which coursed through "communally sensitive" areas. The News Minute has people in the area narrate the situation during the rampage on Monday, taking place "right under police watch".

Following Harsha's murder Sunday night, some streets close to Harsha's residence in Seegehatti, just off Old Thirthahalli Road, saw an eruption of violence. Police rushed in squad cars, alongside enforcing prohibitory orders. Even so, outside the McGann Hospital where Harsha's mortal remains were, there were stone-pelting and sloganeering.

The next day, hundreds followed the hearse in the funeral procession. The long-standing practice was not to allow procession in such cases anticipating violence. Leading the procession were two senior BJP leaders: Karnataka's Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj and MLA from Shivamogga KS Eshwarappa, and former CM BS Yediyurappa's eldest son, BY Raghavendra, who is the MP from Shivamogga, The News Minute reported.

For what was widely seen as flouting of Prohibitory orders, police reportedly provided security to the senior BJP leaders just as the procession coursed through crowded streets. Places usually known for "communally charged clashes" had fewer cops to manage the streets. Cops were unable to stop the mob tailing the procession entering the Muslim localities - what followed then was vandalism, arson, residents allege, according to the report.

TNM reported a constable with the Shivamogga police as saying that the police were asked not to use excessive force against the rioters and to just try to prevent them from "taking extreme steps."

The report shockingly let on that about a half a dozen cops TNM talked to, though initially hung back from talking to media, said violence was "not unanticipated."

"If you have tracked communal violence in Shivamogga, you would expect such a situation. But we were following orders and with the number of people deployed in such places (sensitive areas), we did what we could. Many of us were not even in riot gear and were hugely outnumbered," adds another policeman.

Alongside, videos from Urdu Bazar show shouting, slogans, stone pelting, and overturning of vehicles with the cops armed with batons urging goons to vacate the area, which fell in the rioters' deaf ears, TNM adds.

Sabreen, 36-year-old single parent, was returning home after buying milk when a stone hit her head injuring her. In the ensuring chaos around her she tried to protect herself. She alleged that three cops, standing 200 meters away, wouldn't intervene.

In the aftermath of violence, TNM found buildings in this area including a madrasa damaged with window panes broken. Eyewitness said, according to the report, that when the madrasa was targeted, 20 children on the inside of madrasa crouched under the wooden stage to protect themselves from stone pelting.

Umar Farooq, a businessman living off Urdu Bazaar Road, alleged that there were not more than six police personnel there as the funeral procession went by. During communally sensitive processions in the past, the area used to have heavy deployment of police, he said.

When the police failed to contain the situation, Umar reportedly called Circle Inspector Harish Patel continuously, but he did not answer his calls. There was no response from the crime department (CCB) either. "In less than half an hour we saw so much violence take place here. Women and children got caught in the violence and were screaming," Umar reportedly recalls. Residents in Azad Nagar, less than 2 km from Urdu Bazar, relate the stories of suffering and neglect.

Injured residents, according to the report, continue to live in fear of being targeted. "Families from both communities say they have lived together peacefully for decades. But now, many from the Muslim community feel that the goons attacked them with impunity, as the police and the ruling party either connived with them or decided to look away," the report says.